


Through A Child's Eyes

by GaHoolianGirl



Category: X-Men (Comicverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: (in chap 2), Cross-Generational Friendship, Cute, Fanart, Friendship, Gen, Logan pops up at the end but isn't really relevant, Male-Female Friendship, Mutant & Human Interactions, Mutant Pride, This is probably fairly standard and boring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-22 20:24:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7452793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaHoolianGirl/pseuds/GaHoolianGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i><strong>I’m too far away!</strong> he cursed in his mind. He couldn’t just leave a child to drown, not when he could save them. It went against everything he believed in; everything he was. Even if it meant he could never show his face in this park again.</i>
</p><hr/><p>
  <i>“That’s silly! You’re cool! You should be proud! You’ve got a super cool power, that you can use to help folks!”</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> People have their problems with Pryde of the X-Men, and I get that. It's silly with some mischaracterization. But it does show that a child had no problem with Kurt, while her parents were scared.
> 
> This is early on in the original comicsverse, when he's still using the image inducer, and could be considered part of why he stopped using it.

When he had no particular duties among the X-Men, no dates, and no new movies to see at the cinema, Kurt found himself visiting the park closest to the mansion. In disguise of course, courtesy of his image inducer.

It was a quaint little park, with little birds and not quite as little children flitting about. Trees, laughter, some of the best things life had to offer. He had a bench that he had claimed as “his spot” to watch all the passersby, and he had become a well known fixture among the local folk. While it calmed him, it also sparked the little voice in the back of his head.

_Those children would not smile at you if they knew your true form._

He shoved the thought into the back corner of his brain where it belonged. He should just enjoy the nice day for what it was. Sad thoughts were to contemplated in the comfort of his own room, not a sunny afternoon outside. He would not be accredited with bringing down this lovely outing.

...it seemed fate ruined it for him.

“Sarah!? Sarah!”

The cry was followed by some splashing, and he turned his eye to the pond that usually held ducks, who were now scared away by the flailing child. Bread crumbs were scattered in the water around her. She had probably been trying to feed the ducks, got overexcited, and fell in. Anyone older could have simply swam away or even stood up, but she looked too small for either.

 _I’m too far away!_ he cursed in his mind. He couldn’t just leave a child to drown, not when he could save them. It went against everything he believed in; everything he was. Even if it meant he could never show his face in this park again.

He clicked the image inducer off.

With a puff of smoke and the smell of sulfur, he was beside her in the lake. He hoisted her up, doing his best to ignore the stares of those around them, and pulled her back to shore.

“Does anyone know CPR!?” His appearance and actions seem to induce silence among them. He bore his teeth and growled, _If they fear me as a monster, then maybe they’ll listen to me as one,_ “Does anyone CPR!? If not, this child is going to die!”

That consequence seemed to stir a reaction, and a man pushed his way from the back. “I’m a doctor, I think I can-”

“Don’t think it-- just do it!”

The man dove to his knees and performed the necessary motions on the girl, and after a tense moment, her chest began to rise and fall. She spluttered and hacked and coughed up water, but she was very much alive.

Kurt didn’t wait for a congratulations. He knew he wasn’t going to get it.

He slipped away under all the commotion, but didn’t leave quite yet, situating himself in the higher branches of a tree to watch the situation. While he knew she was alive, it also went against his nature not to watch the aftermath of his exploits. She seemed to be fine, and her mother was more than relieved. While he didn’t have advanced hearing as one of his mutations, he could see some of them muttering.

_Was that a mutant?_

_He looked like a demon!_

_But he saved that little girl!_

He sighed.

“Uhm, mister?” a raspy voice called from below, and he nearly fell out of the tree. In his self-pity, he had lost sight of the girl herself, “You saved me, right?

He hopped down to the ground, “That I did, _liebchen_. I know I must look...frightening, to you.”

“I think you’re really neat!” she grinned widely, “Are they right? You can poof from one place to another!?”

She coughed again, all this talking straining the lungs that were very recently waterlogged.

“I can indeed, little one.”

“That’s super neat!”

That was rarely the reaction Kurt’s face elicited from people. He usually was greeted with pitchforks and fire.

“Why do you pretend to look like somebody else?”

Such an innocent question. “Because they,” he gestured to some people a few yards away who were staring at them, “are scared of me. It’s better for everyone if I hide.”

She puffed her cheeks out and put her hands on her hips, “That’s silly! You’re cool! You should be proud! You’ve got a super cool power, that you can use to help folks!”

He didn’t want to admit that this child was nearly making him cry, but something about how earnestly she believed that he was amazing plucked at his heartstrings, “How old are you, _L_ _iebchen_?”

“Ten!” she proudly spread out both her hands to display the number. He smiled.

“I was hoping you’d say six, so I could count on my fingers,” he held up his own hands. She giggled at him, and he’d swear he’d never heard a sound so beautiful. She hadn’t reviled at his hands, she thought they were... amusing.

“Sarah!” her mother called, a nervous edge to her voice. She clearly didn’t her child around the _demon_ longer than necessary.

“You’re mother is calling you, child. You must go.”

“Okay...say, what’s your name, mister?”

“Kurt.”

Her smiled grew, and before he could react (even with his fast reflexes) she leapt forward and hugged him, kissing his cheek, “You’re the best, Mr. Kurt!” she said quietly, before running to her mother, who was now all but shrieking her name.

He watched her depart, and decided maybe he’ll put the image inducer away, and stick to the shadows on his way home instead.

* * *

His encounter with the girl stuck in his mind the following week.

_You’re cool! You should be proud! You’ve got a super cool power, that you can use to help folks!_

He had never heard that from a non mutant before... despite the impact she had left on him, he had never expected to hear from Sarah again, but life had ways of surprising him.

“Hey, elf,” Wolverine had growled to him one day (it wasn’t a growl so much as his usual tone of voice), handing him a thick envelope “This was on the doorstep. It’s addressed to you.”

Kurt took it with apprehension, no idea what it could be. If anything, he expected insults or death threats or-

-a drawing of him.

No, he hadn’t expected that, nor did Wolverine, who was laughing at it and him. It was clearly done by a child’s hands, but still managed to be fairly accurate and detailed. There was a little message beside it, in clumsy but very deliberate handwriting.

_Thanks for saving me, Mr. Kurt! You are my hero! I want to be a mutant like you when I grow up._

_-Sarah Rankin_

He flipped to the back, and on it was another note, written by an adult.

_Sarah had me track you down. Several people said they had spotted a “Blue Demon” at this address, and I thought that it might be you. I’m very sorry for how I reacted to you. You saved my daughter, and without you there, my whole life would have been devastated. I can’t speak for anyone else who saw what happened, but to me and Sarah, you’re truly a hero. If I meet someone who disagrees, I’ll have a mouthful for them. My husband, Micheal, is also very grateful to you, and we would all be delighted to have you over some time, even if you feel the need for a disguise._

_P.S, she wants to know if your fur is as soft as it looks._

_Yours, Alician Rankin._

Their address and telephone number as also included, along with a Polaroid of Sarah and two fluffy dogs. Wolverine stopped laughing when he saw the tears in Kurt’s eyes, even him knowing to leave well enough alone, and he walked away.

_I want to be a mutant when I grow up._

Kurt wasn’t aware that was a phrase that could be said. If it so happened she grew up to be a mutant, she wouldn’t keep that mentality. But the fact that she had it now touched him deeply. If this child saw him for the man he was, then there was hope for everyone else.

He ‘ported to his room, and dug up a pencil and paper.

_Dear Sarah and Alician,_

_You were correct, this is where I live, though I would appreciate if that fact did not get out. Not everyone understands as you do._

_To address the most important thing in your letter: Yes, I have been told that my fur is very soft..._ •


	2. Sarah's Picture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was (and am currently) up too late and messing around on MS Paint. This is sort of what I imagined Sarah's drawing of Kurt to be like. You can envision it however you want. This is simply my take.
> 
> I'm sorry to whomever thought this was more story, haha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paint sharpens the edges of the crayon tool so that's why some of the strokes look unnatural.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a serious subscriber to the idea that most kids don't hold the prejudices adults do. While some kids already have the idea in their minds that the way Kurt looks is "bad", as a general whole they'd probably be more willing to change their minds on it than adults.
> 
> I had trouble finding out if people used the acronym CPR in the 70's, but I did find out they used it, so bare with me.
> 
> This might grow into a bigger AU with the kid (like, where of a lot of the big shit happening and team members getting changed around get postponed/don't happen, and they are just the same team for awhile. It would also include the X-Men taking up students far earlier than in the comics) but that depends on how I'm feeling. For now, this is one off and stuff proceeds as normal.


End file.
